Press Publications 4779 Bloom Avenue White Bear Lake, MN 55110 FOR POSTAL CUSTOMER
PRESORTED STANDARD U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT NO. 9 CIRCLE PINES, MN
7111 21st Avenue N • Centerville, MN
651.762.9440 Equal Housing Lender
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15, 2019
MidWestOne.com
VOL. 16 NO. 17 www.readthecitizen.com $1.00
ESPRESSO TRAILER: Rolls into town PAGE 18
Hands-free cellphone bill now law: Here’s what to know BY ELIZABETH CALLEN STAFF WRITER
BY THE NUMBERS
While driving, Minnesotans should ensure that their hands remain on their wheels—and not on their phones. Holding a cell phone while operating a motor vehicle is now illegal in Minnesota, as the hands-free cellphone bill, signed by Gov. Tim Walz in April, took effect Aug. 1. Since 2013, it has been illegal in Minnesota to send text messages or access the internet while driving, but phone calls were permitted, so long as the driver wasn’t distracted. Under the new law, drivers cannot hold a cellphone—or use one to type, scroll or view content—while operating a motor vehicle, including while stopped in traffic or at a light. If caught, drivers face a petty misdemeanor, which carries a $50 fi ne. Add in court fees, and that fi ne could total $130. Subsequent violations carry a $275 fi ne, plus court fees. With the new law now in effect, Minnesota has joined 17 states and Washington, D.C., in requiring drivers to have their phones in hands-free or voice-activated mode while operating a vehicle. Supporters of the law hope that Minnesota will see results similar to those in other states, where traffic fatalities have decreased by 15% on average since such laws took effect. The dangers of distraction Each year, nearly 20% of crashes throughout Minnesota are related to distracted driving. From 2014 to 2018, more than 60,000 accidents
60,000+
9,545 204
45
$50
$275
distracted drivingrelated crashes in Minnesota 2014 to 2018 citations issued in 2018 for texting while driving average number of serious injuries caused by distracted driving each year average number of deaths caused by distracted driving for first violation of hands-free law (plus court fees) for subsequent violations (plus court fees)
SUBMITTED
Megan Goeltz (right) died Feb. 29, 2016 in a distracted driving related crash in West Lakeland Township. She was stopped at an intersection when another car came flying out of a roadside ditch and collided with her Ford Fusion.
were caused by drivers who were looking at their phones at the time of the crash. Likewise, distracted driving results in an average of 45 deaths and approximately 200 life-changing injuries per year, according to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety. That’s a set of statistics that Tom Goeltz, of Hudson, knows all too well. A safety and risk management consultant, he spends a significant part of his workweeks educating
audiences about the dangers of driving while distracted, but the issue is also personal to him. In February 2016, his daughter Megan was killed in a crash caused by a distracted driver. “It was a classic distracted driving case. There was kind of a bend in the road, and (the driver) never took the turn. He kept going straight and rolled into a ditch,” Goeltz said. SEE DISTRACTED DRIVING, PAGE 11
Duke’s Poutine: A family concession stand BY SHANNON GRANHOLM EDITOR
SUBMITTED
Back when Matt and Erin Ribar of Centerville were still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. This photo was taken back in 2011, the first year the couple brought Duke’s Poutine to the State Fair.
OOF NEW R S! NT DISCOU
Centerville resident Matt Ribar, who is 32, has never missed a State Fair. “I was in my mom’s belly at the fair and even when I went off to school in Arizona for a year, I came back for Labor Day weekend to go,” he said. The 2005 White Bear grad has fond memories of the Great Minnesota Get-Together as well as other state fairs and festivals. Ribar’s father, Brad Ribar of White Bear Township,
has owned the Corn Roast concession at the State Fair for 34 years. The family’s passion transcends generations: in the ’80s, Matt’s grandfather acquired a cheese curd trailer from the Mueller family, which was known for having The Original Deep Fried Cheese Curds stand at the fair. Although the family does not sell cheese curds at the State Fair, it does sell them at other fairs and festivals. Also in the family is Peter’s Hotdogs. At one point, the family operated a total of 13 food trailers.
AllCityAgency.com
SEE CONCESSIONS, PAGE 12
We’ve teamed up with AAA to offer you great value and coverage
NEVER SHOP FOR INSURANCE AGAIN!
Don’t Wait Until Your Current Policy Expires
TM
Atlas A l Insurance I Broker of the Year
(651) 484-1213 NEWS 651-407-1227 citizennews@presspubs.com
“Knowing the carnival owners in the county fair scene, I remember playing all the games for free,” Matt said. “At the State Fair, my dad would give me a roll of quarters to keep me out of his hair and I would go to the arcade and see how many tickets I could get. I would crawl under the office trailer, store my tickets and count them ... I had all these stuffed animals that never got played with.” After years of helping his family
ADVERTISING 651-407-1200 marketing@presspubs.com
Independent Insurance Agent
CLASSIFIED 651-407-1250 classified@presspubs.com
CIRCULATION 651-407-1234 circ@presspubs.com
Call Us Today For a Free Quote!! PRODUCTION 651-407-1239 artmanager@presspubs.com